


Right Side Up

by agentsimmons



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Children, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hospitals, M/M, Science Husbands, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-14
Updated: 2015-12-14
Packaged: 2018-05-06 15:07:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5421596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentsimmons/pseuds/agentsimmons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A visit to kids in a hospital leads to an unexpected revelation and discussion regarding children.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Right Side Up

**Author's Note:**

> Time for your ~~daily~~ dose of domestic fluff. This is just something small I wrote for the start of my "dadsville" blog on Tumblr.

It had started as any other charity event. The Avengers were visiting kids in the children's ward of a nearby hospital, trying to give them strength and courage to keep fighting. But Tony found his world turned upside down by the experience.

"You're the real hero," Bruce had told a sad little girl kept to herself, Tony hovering nearby enough to eavesdrop on the exchange.

Her eyes had sparkled for a brief moment before turning solemn again. "No I'm not," she had said then, shaking her head. "Mommy is always telling me to be brave and that it will get better, but I'm scared. I don't think it will." She had sniveled and hugged her arms tightly.

Tony hadn't missed the tender frown on Bruce's face or the way he looked like he wanted to do anything to help the kid. "Well, that's what makes you a hero," Bruce had said softly and the girl's eyes had widened slightly. "You're scared and don't know if it'll be okay, but you keep fighting anyway."

Tony had felt tears prickle in his eyes at the raw conviction in Bruce's voice. It was a hard-fought conviction and Tony knew Bruce was still terrified, still so afraid he might lose everything. He had wanted to go over there and hold both man and child close and reassure them he wouldn't let that happen.

"I wish my mommy was here to meet you. You're nice," the little girl had said, pulling Tony back from his own thoughts with a jerk. Was the kid trying to set Bruce up with her mom?

"Thank you," Bruce had accepted the compliment gracefully enough. "I'm sure you're mother is very nice as well."

"Oh she is!" The girl had lit up at that and Tony had narrowed his eyes, smirking a little as he wondered if Bruce realized what was going on. "But she has to work a lot," she had said a little more sadly. "I don't have a daddy to help mommy pay for my hospital bills. Oh, but she doesn't know I know that's the reason!" She had then started as if afraid Bruce might snitch on her.

"Don't worry. I won't say anything," he had responded with a small chuckle.

"Are you married?" The girl had then finally taken the plunge and Tony had to hold back a laugh.

"Um," Bruce had looked around and then met Tony's laughing eyes, clarity settling into the physicist's. "I am," he had answered with a small nod, and no small smile.

"Oh." The girl hadn't done much to hide her disappointment. "Well, I hope you're happy," she had offered then. "Do you have any kids? What are they like?" The girl had then shifted her attention to a different line of questioning and Tony felt a small bit of whiplash. He had to wonder if this is what the others were getting at when they complained about him going off on random tangents.

Of course the whiplash hadn't lasted too long as Tony's focus had almost immediately turned back to Bruce when he noticed the rueful shake of his head and defeated body language.

"No, I don't have any kids of my own."

The girl had pouted. "That's sad. You would make a great daddy. Do you want a hug?"

Bruce had given a small nod and allowed the girl to wrap her bony arms around his neck. It was then that Tony felt his world turn upside down.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tony asked as he sat on the edge of their bed, going over the day, while Bruce finished brushing his teeth. Needless to say, Bruce just ducked his head into the bedroom and raised an eyebrow in askance. "You want kids," Tony said knowingly.

He let his head fall into one hand. He felt a little useless because he hadn't considered it sooner. He felt worried about what it meant that Bruce had never shared that part of him. Was he worried that it would have been a deal breaker?

"I do want kids," Bruce replied with a heavy sigh when he could. The faucet turned off and Tony looked up to see him standing in the doorway of the en suite. "I want kids. And... I want those kids with you," he admitted and Tony felt his stomach flutter at the thought; it was a strange idea, one he would certainly have scoffed at in his wilder days, but with Bruce it didn't seem inherently wrong. "But I didn't tell you because there's no point."

"Did you think I'd just say no?" Tony asked. He needed to know.

Bruce sighed again and took a few steps forward. "Tony, I haven't even given myself a chance to _wonder_ if you would say no or not. Because it's just not possible." He sat down on the bed beside him and leaned into him. Tony snaked an arm around him immediately.

"Biologically maybe not," Tony said, slightly in humor, as he considered what Bruce said. "But there are, you know, other options," he said more thoughtfully.

"Tony, look at our lives. Think about what I turn into."

"A big green adorable teddy bear with situational anger issues?" Tony angled his head a little to see the exasperated smile that ghosted across Bruce's lips in spite of everything. He then became more serious. "Look, I'm not saying we rush out on a whim and adopt five or six kids."

"Who are you and what have you done with my Tony?" Bruce asked in deadpan.

"Hilarious," Tony quipped in return. "But I think we have just as much a right to really consider kids as any other semi-dysfunctional couple."

Bruce pulled away and looked at him with a furrowed brow. "You're serious?" The question danced between incredulity and disapproval with just enough hopefulness to give the physicist away.

"I am," Tony answered easily. "After what I saw today... what I _felt_ today," he added meaningfully, "I don't want to just pretend like it didn't happen. Because it did. And if it's what you want then I'm more than okay with giving it serious thought. You and me together, Bruce. We can figure out what's right for us."

Bruce’s face softened. “What happened at that hospital today?”

“I guess a little girl made me realize what a good dad you would be,” Tony answered truthfully. “And made me realize how much I want to be part of that...” He paused. “Incidentally, she was definitely trying to hook you up with her mother. You got that right?” He turned teasing.

Bruce snorted softly. “Uh, yeah, got that there at the end. Hope she wasn’t too disappointed.”

“Well, I wouldn’t blame her,” Tony said with a shrug.

“I think she just wants someone else around so her mom doesn’t have to bear the burden alone,” Bruce said with a sad sigh, voice faraway like it always was whenever the topic of mothers came up.

Tony squeezed his hand. “Yeah, I got that too. Which is why I spoke with the doctor about it. The kid already had some help from the donations, but obviously it can only do so much when split between all the kids that need it. So I made sure to pay off her bills and set up a fund for her. Anonymously of course. But hopefully now her mother won’t have to work so hard to take care of her. Wish I could do it for all of them, but I--”

Bruce cut off his ramble with a kiss. “I’m not the only one that would make a good dad,” he whispered firmly and then kissed him again.

Tony felt his world turn upside down again at the sentiment, or maybe it was right side up now. Either way, as he returned the kiss eagerly, he had hope for their future together and whatever journey they took next.

**Author's Note:**

> If you like my various takes on Bruce and Tony as dads and want to leave me prompts/ask me questions or comment on dadsville fics I've already written/just discuss these two as dads in general, feel free to visit me at my new (side)blog [downtowndadsville](http://downtowndadsville.tumblr.com) :)


End file.
